Developing Comic Book and Graphic Novel Collections in Libraries
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University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Masters Theses Graduate School 12-2010 Developing Comic Book and Graphic Novel Collections in Libraries Sara Dianne Ray University of Tennessee - Knoxville, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes Part of the Library and Information Science Commons Recommended Citation Ray, Sara Dianne, "Developing Comic Book and Graphic Novel Collections in Libraries. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2010. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/828 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Sara Dianne Ray entitled "Developing Comic Book and Graphic Novel Collections in Libraries." I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Information Sciences. Edwin M. Cortez, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Kimberly L. Black-Parker, Cindy C. Welch Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Sara Dianne Ray entitled “Developing Comic Book and Graphic Novel Collections in Libraries.” I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Information Sciences. Edwin M. Cortez, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Kimberly L. Black-Parker Cindy C. Welch Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost & Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official student records.) DEVELOPING COMIC BOOK AND GRAPHIC NOVEL COLLECTIONS IN LIBRARIES A Thesis Presented for the Master of Science Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Sara Dianne Ray December 2010 ABSTRACT This research study has several objectives. The first is to research graphic novels and comic books, their history and the issues this visual and literary medium has had with censorship, with preconceived notions that the medium is only meant for a juvenile audience, and with the development of rating standards. The second objective is to study current literature that has been written by scholars and librarians on this medium. This exploration of graphic novels and comic books and the scholarship and collection development efforts related to them provides a foundation for considering the issues and challenges which current and future librarians may have to face, in maintaining this literary form in library collections. The third objective is to conduct a focus group and to survey librarians in Tennessee from a range of backgrounds in order to consider a number of questions, including: if these librarians have encountered patrons who challenged having these books included in their institutions’ collections, what age range the surveyed librarians believe this medium is meant to appeal to, and how the librarians would rate content in comic books and graphic novels; such as, violence, language, sexual activity, etc.; including terms used by publishers in their rating standards to describe different levels of content. The results from this study showed there was quite a difference between what librarians feel is appropriate for the levels they were given and the types of content; with there being usually at least a 2 - 3 year age difference between the top two to three options chosen or there being a difference between the participants selecting an age range and selecting either “All Ages” or “None” as appropriate. The literature research and the data obtained from the survey along with the responses received from the focus group indicate that, since the majority of participants stated they “sometimes” experienced selection difficulties and problems with cataloging and shelving these books, picking an appropriate age range for a comic book or graphic novel is very subjective and librarians and publishers are still a long way away from agreeing on the appropriateness of the content. ii Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction 1 - 26 Chapter 2 Literature Review 27 - 73 Chapter 3 Methodology 74 - 81 Survey & Focus Group Questions 82 – 87 Chapter 4 Findings 88 -141 Chapter 5 Conclusion 142 - 181 Reference List 182 - 189 Appendix A – Production Code 190 - 202 Appendix B – MPAA Code 203 - 204 Appendix C – ACMP Code 205 - 205 Appendix D - 1954 Comic Book Code 206 - 209 Appendix E - 1971 Comic Book Code 210 - 213 Appendix F - 1989 Comic Book Code 214 - 216 Appendix G – Present Marvel Code 217 - 217 Appendix H – Marvel Code Before June 2005 218 - 218 Appendix I – DC Rating System 219 - 219 Appendix J – Viz Rating System 220 - 220 Appendix K –Tokyopop Rating System 221 - 221 Appendix L – 2005 ALA Survey 222 - 222 Appendix M – Library Bill of Rights 223 - 223 Appendix N – Free Access to Libraries for Minors 224 - 225 Appendix O – Freedom to View Statement 226 - 226 Appendix P – Labeling and Rating Systems 227 - 228 Appendix Q – Research Question with Variables 229 - 229 Appendix R – Breakdown of Variables 230 - 230 Vita 231 – 231 iii List of Tables Table 1: Question 4 – Interest in Format 97 Table 2: Question 5 – Target Audience 99 Table 3: Question 11 – A Violent Crime Content 106 Table 4: Question 11 – B Violent Horror Content 108 Table 5: Question 11 – C Violent War/Battles Content 110 Table 6: Question 12 – A Sexual Content – Embracing 113 Table 7: Question 12 – B Sexual Content – Kissing 115 Table 8: Question 12 – C Sexual Content – Nudity 117 Table 9: Question 12 – D Sexual Content – Sexual Activity 120 Table 10: Question 13 – Language Content 123 Table 11: Question 14 – A Children Heterosexual Relationships 126 Table 12: Question 14 - B Teenage Heterosexual Relationships 129 Table 13: Question 14 – C Adult Heterosexual Relationships 132 Table 14: Question 14 – D Children Homosexual Relationships 135 Table 15: Question 14 – E Teenage Homosexual Relationships 138 Table 16: Question 14 – F Adult Homosexual Relationships 141 iv List of Figures Figure 1: Question 1 - Ages of Participants 94 Figure 2: Question 2 - Gender of Participants 95 Figure 3: Question 3 – Occupations of Participants 96 Figure 4: Question 6 – Current Collection in Library 100 Figure 5: Question 7 – Issues with Selection 101 Figure 6: Question 8: - Usefulness of Rating Standards 102 Figure 7: Question 9 – Issues with Cataloging and Shelving 103 Figure 8: Question 10 – Issues with Complaints 104 v Chapter 1 - Introduction There has been concern from librarians and other groups about the content in comic books and graphic novels and whether that content is suitable for young children. Several articles discuss the mature content in graphic novels and comic books, but also note that the view that these materials are meant solely for children and teen audiences still persists among a significant majority of people (Ellis and Highsmith 21; Lavin 41; Highsmith 60; Micciche 5; Raiteri 58). Comic books have been denied the respect that the medium deserves and have been relegated to only being of interest to juvenile audiences; at the same time there has been concern that these books are corrupting America’s youth. This medium is deemed by many as targeted to children and teens, possibly because it is misconstrued with comic strips, the pictorial aspect of the medium, etc. Furthermore, graphic novels and comic books have frequently been viewed as corrupting their youth audiences with violent, sexual or other types of mature content. However, the problem should not be with the content contained in these books, but rather with expanding people’s understanding of the complexity of the medium. By looking at the content of these materials and at the current rating standards used by publishers, this research will hopefully help to diminish the misconception that this medium should be limited to only children and teenage audiences among library professionals and demonstrate the value of keeping these books in libraries. Librarians need to make sure they are providing these materials for all of their patrons and not just a select age group. Libraries should focus not only on providing these popular fiction items for children and young adults, but also must look into titles for mature audiences; in order to provide these books for their entire community. 1 In recent years, while there are still an abundant number of comic books and graphic novels published which are targeted at children and teen audiences, there are also many American, European comics, and the popular Japanese manga (Japanese word for comic) published aimed at drawing interest from adult audiences. Librarians must take extra care to identify comics and graphic novels that are aimed at older audiences, in order to keep those titles in sections separate from juvenile titles. In considering the difference between juvenile, teen/young adult and adult titles; Steve Raiteri published an article in Library Journal regarding graphic novels and the issue of maintaining young adult and adult collections in libraries. Raiteri mentions there can be some overlap between these collections, in that some titles can have appeal to both juveniles and young adults and some to young adults and adults. He clarifies the difference between “young adult” and “adult” collections by making the statement that young adult collections are usually meant for teens between the ages of 12-18, therefore indicating that adult collections would be books meant to appeal to adults 18 and up and juvenile titles would be anything meant for children under the age of 12 (Raiteri 94).